Monthly Archives: November 2015

Training November 21st – 27th

This Week 101.1 Miles

Saturday November 21st – Start of the UltraCentric 24 Hour

Sunday November 22nd – 100.744 Miles in 23 Hours 47 minutes 52 Seconds.

Monday November 23rd – Day Off

Tuesday November 24th – Day Off

Wednesday November 25th – Day Off

Thursday November 26th – .4 miles. My left iliotibial (IT) band hurts.

Friday November 27th – Date Night with my Wife!

My UltraCentric race was not as I trained or dreamed. It was a learning experience. I learned a lot about myself. I have stated, never ever even consider the though of quitting. Well I though about it. Almost quit many times. Now almost a week later I am so glad I stuck with the race. Did it hurt? Yes. Was it tough? Yes. Was it worth finishing with 100 miles? You bet it was. I would much rather recover with a big ole smile than recover wishing I had pushed on. My left iliotibial (IT) band is the only thing that hurts. No doubt my leaning put extra strain on it. I won’t push my return to training next week. I must recover and not risk a long term nagging injury. My next 24 hour race in Coburg, Victoria is in 20 weeks. Before that I have Back to Back Marathons, New Years eve and New Years Day.  In February The Cowtown 50K in Fort Worth, Texas. A little local Marathon four weeks before Australia. How I recover will determine how I race my Back to Back Marathons. I must keep my eye on the big picture. The Walk 100 Miles in 24 Hours in Australia is my only real Goal at this point.

Capture

2015 UltraCentric 24 Hour

My second race at the UltraCentric in Grapevine, Texas. Last year I Walked my first Ultra here. The twelve hour. That race lead me to believe I could do a Centurion Walk. I have returned to see how much gain in fitness I have earned since my Centurion race in June.

Because of the flood damage in Texas last spring this years UltraCentric was moved to a .51 mile road course at Silver Lake Marina. I heard some grumbling about the short course. Not from me. My upcoming race in Australia this April is on a 400 meter track. That is Short. The new course was flat and paved. Perfect. The weather was cold and VERY windy. Gusts up to 45 mph all day Saturday. The only thing you can control in a race is your own training. You can’t control the course, the weather, the other racers. There is no use getting yourself worked up into a frenzy over things out of your control. With that mindset I raced. No pressure. Just line up and see how far my mind and legs could go.

My goal was to walk every mile between 12:30 and 13:00 minutes. Looking for a 12:51 Average for 24 hours. I started out even better than that 28 miles the first 6 hours in high wind. I was surprised that I only did 26 miles the second 6 hours. 54 miles at the turn. The night had North Texas first hard freeze of the season. I was getting much slower. I think the wind, cold and a sinus infection I am fighting took a toll. At 15 hours I was in trouble. Just no get up and go. So I forced myself into a 9 hour Death march. It was the toughest thing I have ever done in my life. First my wife told me I was leaning left. Then Marsha White told me the same thing. When the sun came up Sunday morning the shadow confirmed it. Leaning put extra pressure on my left knee. It hurt bad. The miles added up so slowly. The hours crawled by even slower than I was walking. I felt rough. Every mile I entertained the thought of quitting. For over six hours I wanted to quit. It was The great personal battle in my mind. With three hours left I need 11 miles. I started counting down 21 more laps 20 more laps….I reached down into places I didn’t know I had. In the last three miles I drank a two liter Mountain Dew. I would have let someone shoot me in the butt with a BB gun if I thought it would help. As cruel punishment I did an extra lap I didn’t need. But hey, I did it. I didn’t quit. I perservered. I found a toughness I didn’t know I had. That is how it should be if you walk 100 miles in 24 hours. 100.744 miles with about 12 minutes to spare. Fifth Place out of 30 racers. The only walker. First Place in my age group. This race has changed how I look at Centurion events. I still want five World Centurion badges. Double Centurions Richard McChesney and John Kilmartin told me no 100 miler is easy and each has its own unique challenge. A BIG shout out to my Sweet Darling Wife. I never got out of the car after the awards ceremony, because I couldn’t. She had to pack everything at the hotel. Carry it all down. Load the car. Drive home. Has waited on me hand and foot since we got home. All while shaking her head in silence. Thank you Bren.

2015 UltraCentric

 

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Training November 14th – 20th

This Week 28.8 Miles

Saturday November 14th – 4.8 miles

Sunday November 15th – 8 Miles in 1:40:07. Legs feel great. Lots of pop.

Monday November 16th – 4 Miles

Tuesday November 17th – 4 miles

Wednesday November 18th – 4 miles

Thursday November 19th – 4 Miles

Friday November 20th – Travel to Grapevine, Texas with my Wife!

I can’t remember the last time my legs felt this rested. This level of rest did not come without a visit from the Taper Phantom. I am almost sure the Phantom lives in my head but….. During my taper I turned my ankle and fell one night. Had a muscle in my lower leg knot up. Got pink eye from my Grand Kids. Fought a sinus infection and headache. Sore throat from drainage.  All attempts by the Taper Phantom to wreak my Race tomorrow. “Get thee behind me Phantom.” Nothing is going to stand in my way. Physically or mentally.

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Training November 7th – 13th

This Week 51.2 Miles

Saturday November 7th – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 68 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks

Sunday November 8th – 20 Miles in 3:48:09.  3 sets of 30 squats. Magical walk at Marathon pace two weeks before my 24 hour race.

Monday November 9th – 4.8 Miles, 4 sets of 10 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag

Taper Starts

Tuesday November 10th – 4.8 miles

Wednesday November 11th – 12 miles LSD in 2:33:26. My 24 hour race pace.

Thursday November 12th – 4.8 Miles

Friday November 6th – Date night with my Wife!

Taper is working. My legs feel fantastic. Worked hard this summer. Looks like it is paying off. I am setting a goal of 112 miles at the UltraCentric 24 hour next week. Average pace just a little under 13 minutes per mile. A big goal.

taper-time

Training October 31st – November 6th

This Week 55.2 Miles

Saturday October 31st – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 68 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks

Sunday November 1st – 24 Miles LSD in 5:07:31. 3 sets of 30 squats.

Monday November 2nd – 4.8 Miles, 4 sets of 10 chin-ups, 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag

Tuesday November 3rd – 4.8 miles, 5 sets of 68 push-ups, 21 minutes of Planks

Wednesday November 4th – 12 miles LSD in 2:36:49.  3 sets of 30 squats.

Thursday November 5th – 4.8 Miles, 4 sets of 10 chin-ups. 3 rounds boxing the heavy bag.

Friday November 6th – Date night with my Wife!

I am so looking forward to my taper next week. A lot of people hate race taper time. Not me. I look forward to the cut back in mileage. A chance to get my legs back under me. The break from strength training. I have done the work. Now rest up and get ready to race. Like a high performance engine tuned up and waiting on the green light. Like it!

we become what we want